SNAP ’Em Up:

In Brief

As SFR reported last year, the New Mexico Human Services
Department has faced criticism from advocates for the poor about its
strict food stamp eligibility guidelines—criticism backed by federal
officials and House Speaker Ben Luján, D-Santa Fe.

On April 1, HSD announced it would relax the rules and use those
recommended by the US Department of Agriculture. HSD estimates the
relaxed rules will add 4,000 families, at a cost of $8 million, to the
list of 146,000 New Mexicans already receiving food stamps.

There’s a catch: The higher gross income limits—now $2,518 a month for a
family of three—only apply to those who get an HSD referral for certain
other benefits, which are available mainly to pregnant women, families
with children, domestic violence victims and the elderly or disabled.
Despite New Mexico’s relatively strict guidelines, average monthly food
stamp participation shot up 26 percent last year—even faster than the
national average, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. However,
New Mexico’s average monthly benefit of $118 was slightly lower than
other states. Check your eligibility at hsd.state.nm.us.